Ukraine's drone attack sparks fire at oil depot in Russia's Sochi - Jordan News
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2 hours ago
- Roya News
US envoy Witkoff to visit Moscow on Wednesday
US envoy Steve Witkoff will meet on Wednesday with Russian leadership in Moscow, an American source confirmed, as President Donald Trump's deadline to impose fresh sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine looms. The source did not specify if the meetings will include Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Witkoff has met with several times previously. Trump has given Russia until Friday to halt its offensive in Ukraine or face new penalties. The White House has not outlined specific actions it plans to take on Friday, but Trump has previously threatened to impose "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's remaining trade partners, such as China and India. The move would aim to stifle Russian exports, but would risk significant international disruption. Despite pressure from Washington, Russia has continued its onslaught against its pro-Western neighbor. Three rounds of peace talks in Istanbul have failed to make headway on a possible ceasefire, with the two sides appearing as far apart as ever. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede more territory and renounce Western support. Kyiv is calling for an immediate ceasefire, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week urged his allies to push for "regime change" in Moscow. In recent weeks, Trump has increasingly voiced frustration with Putin over Moscow's unrelenting offensive. When reporters asked Trump on Monday what Witkoff's message would be to Moscow, and if there was anything Russia could do to avoid the sanctions, Trump replied: "Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday it considered the talks with Witkoff to be "important, substantial and helpful" and valued US efforts to end the conflict. Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said Friday that he wants peace but that his demands for ending his nearly three-and-a-half-year offensive were unchanged. Russia has frequently called on Ukraine to effectively cede control of four regions Moscow claims to have annexed, a demand Kyiv has called unacceptable. Putin also wants Ukraine to drop its ambitions to join NATO. The visit comes after Trump said that two nuclear submarines he deployed following an online row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev were now "in the region." Trump has not said whether he meant nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines. He also did not elaborate on the exact deployment locations, which are kept secret by the US military.
Jordan News
11 hours ago
- Jordan News
Ukraine's drone attack sparks fire at oil depot in Russia's Sochi - Jordan News
Ukraine's drone attack sparks fire at oil depot in Russia's Sochi More than 120 firefighters were trying to extinguish a blaze at an oil depot in the Russian city of Sochi that was sparked by a Ukrainian drone attack, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said early on Sunday on the Telegram messaging app. اضافة اعلان In the Krasnodar region on the Black Sea where Sochi is located, a fuel tank with a capacity of 2,000 cubic metres (70,000 cubic feet) was on fire, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing emergency officials. The Russian defence ministry said in its daily morning report on Telegram that its air defence units destroyed 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Krasnodar region and 60 over the waters of the Black Sea. Reuters
Jordan News
11 hours ago
- Jordan News
Russia's Most Wanted: Who Is Armin Papperger, Ukraine's Top Weapons Supplier? - Jordan News
According to multiple reports, Russia is actively seeking to assassinate Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall AG, Germany's largest defense company and the leading arms supplier to Ukraine. His company's extensive support for Kyiv has turned him into a key figure in Europe's defense efforts—and a top target for Moscow. Despite several assassination attempts, Papperger has survived thus far. اضافة اعلان At 62 years old, Papperger has built a massive fortune in the weapons industry, now estimated at $12 billion, according to Bloomberg. In April 2024, he survived an arson attack targeting his home in the quiet German village of Hermannsburg. While Papperger wasn't home at the time, the fire—set deliberately—was intended to kill him. The attack came after Rheinmetall provided Ukraine with armored vehicles, military trucks, and ammunition, and announced plans to build four weapons production facilities inside Ukraine. Soon after the attack, a left-wing online platform published an anonymous post claiming responsibility for the arson. The message harshly criticized Rheinmetall for profiting from the war in Ukraine and warned that Papperger 'is no longer safe.' A High-Profile Target A few months later, CNN revealed that U.S. intelligence agencies had warned Germany earlier in the year that Russia was planning to assassinate Papperger. The plot was described as one of the most sophisticated among a series of Russian operations targeting defense executives across Europe. In January, James Appathurai, NATO's former hybrid warfare chief, confirmed during a European Parliament session that Russia had concrete plans to kill Papperger. 'All signs indicate that the Russians are far more willing to risk the lives of our citizens,' he said. 'Our response must be equally strong.' Driving Europe's Re-Arming Campaign Bloomberg describes Papperger as 'the most prominent target of the new era', due to his central role in arming Ukraine and benefiting from Europe's largest defense investment in decades. While rival CEOs remained behind closed doors, Papperger took the lead in Europe's rearmament campaign—buying out competitors, expanding production, and even welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Germany's recent announcement of a massive defense spending increase fueled investor enthusiasm. Rheinmetall's stock has surged more than 18x since the war began, making it the most valuable defense company in Europe, with a market cap of around €81 billion. Papperger has voiced frustration over how investors once overlooked the defense sector. 'Now we're major players in the global defense cycle,' he told Businessweek. 'We were always ready—and now it's paying off.' Billions in Investment and Expansion Over the past two years, Rheinmetall has invested more than €8 billion in new production lines and acquisitions. Papperger stated the company is now building or expanding 10 major factories, positioning itself as Europe's ammunition powerhouse. He sees himself as a defender of the rules-based international order. 'It has always been clear to us that free societies must be able to defend themselves,' he said. 'Peace and freedom are not free.' From Engineer to Defense Powerhouse Five years ago, Rheinmetall was viewed as an outdated company operating in fading sectors. 'No one was advising investment in ammunition—it was seen as obsolete,' said Defense Analysis editor Francis Tusa. Papperger joined Rheinmetall in 1990 as a quality control engineer, climbing the ranks steadily. By 2010, he had joined the defense division's board, and in 2013, he became CEO, restructuring the company to strengthen his control. Insiders say Papperger runs Rheinmetall like a family business, making both major and minor decisions with a four-member executive board. A Hands-On, No-Nonsense Leader Papperger is known for his casual dress code—jeans and a button-down shirt—and for personally touring Rheinmetall's factories to speak with workers and welders. He's famously direct and can lose his temper when meetings waste his time. Described as a workaholic, Papperger is known to send emails as early as 4 a.m., requesting urgent updates or decisions. He regularly asks employees at all levels, 'If this were your money, would you invest it here?'
